Graphic Designing: Where To Start?

So here I am trying to learn to create visually appealing graphics, but I don't know where to start. I have tried to find the best graphic designing software suited to me. Almost every one, related to the concept, takes two names: GIMP and Photoshop. I have quite a bit experience with photoshop. I have been using it for editing some images, mainly cropping and other very basic stuff, however, I don't know the real power of it. On the other hand I have never used GIMP.The problem with me is that I need to create visually appealing graphics for my Human Anatomy website. Because the graphics will be about anatomy of human body, they can't be cartoony and should be very realistic. They should feel like they are explaining the structure of a human body and not a cartoon. I have never created such quality graphics so I have no experience how this stuff is done. I have been creating some logos, backgrounds and other basic stuff, but never high quality graphics, so here I am to ask you people where to start.I am willing to buy any software, and any book for this purpose. What I want to achieve is real quick creation. I don't want to waste days on one single graphic. One hour per image would be fine, but I don't know what to do to achieve this level of expertise. I know it is perfectly possible because I don't have to waste my time on thinking and creating new stuff. I have all sorts of refrences and guides and images available to me from which I can quickly gather the details and convert them to graphics. Thus the time wasted in thinking about creativity and all that would be saved. All the time would be put in the actual creation of the graphic, and I think one hour should be sufficient for it.So where should I start?

The real problem is that you need an artist.Making a drawing nice is a matter of art, and only an artist has the feeling in order to correctly do this.You have to find an artist and ask him to create something for you.Feeling the colors and the shape effects if the really important part.The software is then only a detail.

The real problem is that you need an artist.Making a drawing nice is a matter of art, and only an artist has the feeling in order to correctly do this.

So, I need to hire an artist! It sounds like a good solution, but I don't have the resources to hire someone. I have to do every bit of work myself, at least for the time being. It might be a good solution for me in the future, when I generate enough revenues with my website from which I can give salary to people. But currently, this is not an option. I have to do the work for myself.

Maybe I can gain knowledge about how to become a better artist. In my opinion, everyone is an artist (as everyone can do creative stuff) but it's just the matter of some people being better than others. So I think I should sharpen the my skills to fulfill my needs. Although, I am not bad at drawing pictures, but this is only true when drawing on paper with a pencil. I am quite good at drying anatomy diagrams, but again, only on paper with a pencil. On a computer, it is completely a different story. I find it very hard to draw on computer with my mouse.

I know that after learning about the tools to draw on a computer screen, and how to optimally use them, I can definitely improve my drawing skills on a computer screen. I may also need to improve my basic drawing skills, but I can know it only after I become capable of using a graphic software optimally. If I could create diagrams on computer comparable to those I create on a paper with a pencil, I would be more than happy about it.

One additional option with me is that I create diagrams on paper and then scan them so that a digital image of them is available to be put on my website. But according to my experience, the scans don't look very professional (at least the scans of the scanner I own) and they won't give a great impression to my visitors. If I could create the same drawing on adobe photoshop or GIMP or some other software, it would look much nicer and much professional. But for this to happen, I need to learn how to optimally use the software, which unfortunately I don't.

If someone, who creates graphics regularly can give me some tips, I would get something to start on. For now, I even don't know which software to go for, and which one would be better for saving me time. Consequently, I can't start doing anything, until I get confident about the software I choose to invest my time in. So any help is appreciable.

So, I need to hire an artist! It sounds like a good solution, but I don't have the resources to hire someone. I have to do every bit of work myself, at least for the time being. It might be a good solution for me in the future, when I generate enough revenues with my website from which I can give salary to people. But currently, this is not an option. I have to do the work for myself.

try learning through some online tutorials... to make it look professional i would agree with the previous post, source someone with design skills...

but by the look of it, it's probably best to DIY it... there are tons of online tutorials, i guess what's needed is time and patience

good luck

I don't have the resources to hire someone. I have to do every bit of work myself

And what about spending some time in a art school ? This is usually an inexpensive way to learn how to design a artistic picture, balance the forms and the colors, and other tricks you have to learn in order to be able to make people like what you are creating. In some schools, some teachers accept that you ask questions, like "this is the kind of drawings I want to do, how could I make it nice and make people love looking at it?"At this point the important thing is not what is on the page, the important thing is being able to create something nice.

And what about spending some time in a art school ? This is usually an inexpensive way to learn how to design a artistic picture, balance the forms and the colors, and other tricks you have to learn in order to be able to make people like what you are creating. In some schools, some teachers accept that you ask questions, like "this is the kind of drawings I want to do, how could I make it nice and make people love looking at it?"At this point the important thing is not what is on the page, the important thing is being able to create something nice.

i'm guessing he's still in med school so i presume he wouldn't really have much time for an art course along side medicine... best bet is to (when not studying) read through design stuff or watch online tutorials on design and arts...

unless you finish med school, work and earn heaps and hire an artist or designer

Well, my advice is to try it out yourself. Get some help from online tutorials, there's loads of great ones! Remember that you can incorporate some stock photography in your designs, meaning less drawing for you! Nowadays there's loads of royalty-free stock sites where you can get a stock photo for next to nothing, and for the size you'd need on a website, you really wouldn't have to pay much at all.Best of Luck,Martin

Thanks martin!I have watched lots of online tutorials and they really helped me. The real problem for me was not that I didn't know how to draw. It was that I didn't know how to draw in a digital format. I am quite good at drawing stuff on paper. Definitely, not from an artistic point of view but I believe that for the stuff needed for my website, I am quite good. What I needed was to learn how to translate my abilities with pencil and paper into digital stuff. And fortunately, I have found a solution. You may find it funny, but about a year ago, I didn't even know about the existence of graphics tablets. I just used to think that how these people create such beautiful stuff with a mouse. This thought of creating illustrations with a mouse was what drove me crazy. But once I discovered that graphics tablets exists and that they are really helpful, I thought my problem is solved.I have managed to get hold of a grahics tablet. It is not wacom, which people say are the industrial standard, but anyway I am more than happy with it. It is Genius G-Pen m-609x multimedia tablet with a nice large area to work on. I think if I had to buy a Wacom tablet of the same size, it would have cost me at least 4 times more. This tablet that I own works really well. In the beginning I had some troubles with operating it but the process of getting used to was quick. I don't say that I am expert of it now, because I have only used for a few days, but I have definitely improved my abilities with it.I have come to know that drawing on a graphics tablet is quite different that drawing on paper with a pencil, however it is way way easier than drawing with a mouse. In addition, it increases my ability to create new stuff and think about new things. So all I need to do now is get my fingers and my mind familiar with this new technology and translate my drawing abilities on this new medium.I am currently having some difficulties with the tablet and pen and I will create a new topic about it. I will post the link here, so that you people can help me with it.